Why the Amazon fires strike dread in our hearts. Bruce Duncan The extraordinary fires in the Amazon in August 2019 struck dread into the hearts of climate specialists and observers worldwide, since the Amazon forests remain one of the great bulwarks against global warming. They cool Latin America, and generate 20% of the world’s oxygen. […]

No issue matters as much as climate change Editorial While the Morrison government dithers, climate specialists are alarmed that the chances to limit global warming are slipping away, with the likely result that we will be left facing truly catastrophic changes to ­the weather. The former Liberal leader John Hewson, in the Fairfax media on […]

Where to now, Australia? Editorial As the ‘miracle’ Morrison government settles into its new term of office, Australians are expecting significant developments in public policy. As Michael Keating writes in his review of the Australian National Outlook Report for 2019 by the CSIRO and its partners, the Coalition was re-elected ‘with almost no policies’, except […]

As the ‘miracle’ Morrison government settles into its new term of office, Australians are expecting significant developments in public policy. As Michael Keating writes in his review of the Australian National Outlook Report for 2019 by the CSIRO and its partners, the Coalition was re-elected ‘with almost no policies’, except for inequitable tax cuts and […]

Follow the links to read SPC News articles in full. The ‘election miracle’ is behind us; can the Prophetic Economy be ahead of us? Peter Whiting As the recent election result unfolded, Ross Gittins, economics editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, wrote, ‘The day may come when he [Scott Morrison] decides winning the election was […]

The ethical imperative for a just world. Peter Whiting The confronting events in Christchurch and Sri Lanka speak to the urgent need to rediscover and legitimise this ‘ethical imperative’ of a just world. Sadly, these two events are but part of a large litany of failures to instill genuinely communal values and praxis into our […]

Download a .pdf of SPC News April 2019 A budget for an election. Peter Whiting With a Federal election tipped for mid-May 2019, and an April budget to accommodate it, it is hardly surprising that – in the hope of influencing electors’ voting decisions – the budget handed down on 2 April had a number […]

Climate crisis: not so slow-burning now. Editorial Future generations will struggle to understand why key Australian politicians and sections of the media refused so long to recognise that global warming was an immediate threat to Australia and the world. January 2019 was the hottest month on record in Australia, with the nation’s mean temperature above […]

Australia Day & our ‘culture wars’ Peter Whiting Whatever your view, whether you hold firmly to the idea that Australia Day should continue to be held on 26 January, or whether some other day is preferred, there is a need soberly and openly to discuss at a national level the fact that the day which […]

Download a .pdf of SPC News. Climate change: “the most important issue we face” At the UN’s COP24 climate talks currently under way in Poland, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, described climate change as “the most important issue we face”. The address by Sir David Attenborough was unequivocal in its alarm, fearing the collapse […]

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Mission

Social Policy Connections is an independent, ecumenical organisation, motivated and informed by Christian social thinking. Our purpose is to expand awareness of social justice issues in Australia and overseas, and to influence public policy for the benefit of all people, especially the most disadvantaged. SPC is not aligned with any political party.

To help bring the social involvements of the churches into contemporary policy debates and shape a more just society, Social Policy Connections is committed to inform, advocate and engage.

Inform

Provide new platforms for informed debate and conversation through the web, conferences, public events and publications

Convene open forums for fresh voices, especially those with singular expertise or experience.

Advocate

Build relationships with politicians and opinion makers, the media, and like-minded organisations.

Publish research papers, opinion pieces and social comment.

Utilise the print media, along with radio and electronic media, including the internet.

Engage

Establish networks and alliances with concerned people, social agencies and organisations, churches and church agencies.